Hello everyone,
We can tell that winter is here – the Red-breasted Mergansers have arrived! A flyover peregrine falcon was a treat. We had a close up and personal view of 2 Downy Woodpeckers who came so close we thought they were going to sit on somebody’s shoulder. Good size flocks of Black-capped Chickadees were all over the place. We didn’t have a high species count but we enjoyed the birds that we saw.
BIRDERS: Cheryl, Marian, Jane, Eric, Megan, Nick, Karin, Marisa and Jennie
TIME: 8:00am to 10:15am
WEATHER: High 30s, mostly cloudy
Compiler: Cheryl
Canada Goose Number observed:47
Mallard Number observed:2
Hooded Merganser Number observed:3
Red-breasted Merganser Number observed:8
Ring-billed Gull Number observed:2
Great Blue Heron Number observed:2
Details: Both on the shore of the inner harbor by the Music bridge
Red-bellied Woodpecker Number observed:1
Downy Woodpecker Number observed:5
Peregrine Falcon Number observed:1
Details: Seen by many from far, Final call made by Karin D. based on size and shape, about American Crow size.
American Crow Number observed:5
Black-capped Chickadee Number observed:31
Brown Creeper Number observed:1
American Goldfinch Number observed:5
American Tree Sparrow Number observed:1
Dark-eyed Junco Number observed:12
White-throated Sparrow Number observed:5
Swamp Sparrow Number observed:1
Northern Cardinal Number observed:6
Corrections, additions and comments are welcome.
Recordings are not used to attract birds.
The Walks are free and open to one and all. They are held year-round. Newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Saturday morning walks: Start at 8:00 a.m. and cover a distance of two miles. Birders walk from the meeting spot counterclockwise onto Wooded Island. Exiting Wooded Island at the south end, the birders walk along the soccer field and enter the south end of Bobolink Meadow. The Meadow’s path leads to the Music Bridge. After crossing the Music Bridge birders walk through the parking lot and around the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon) and return to our meeting spot. In late fall, winter and early spring, the birders check for birds on the lakefront at the Outer Harbor near LaRabida Hospital and the Inner Harbor after the Wooded Island walk.
Meeting Spot: Birders meet on the west shore of the Columbia Basin (North Lagoon). Park on Stony Island Avenue near 59th Street, walk east across the parkland area, then cross Cornell Drive to reach the spot.
Good birding everyone,
Jennie
Photo: Lesser Scaup by Laura Frazier/Great Backyard Bird Count
For details and directions, contact Jennie Strable at jstrable@hotmail.com.
Everyone is welcome!
Photo: Lesser Scaup by Laura Frazier/Great Backyard Bird Count